View Full Version : Belkin AV53001 12Ft 4M Speaker Cable
Saw these on eBay today and knowing that Belkin seemed to be doing some highly regarded cables already, thought I would post this to let folk know who might be interested and also for comments from anyone who may have tried them? Seems a real bargain at just under £18.00 delivered.
99.9997% Oxygen-free, PCOCC conductors and high-purity, silver solder joints drastically reduce signal distortion for unrivalled audio clarity
Size: 2 x 12Ft / 3.7m
Belkin AV53001 12Ft 4M Speaker Cable / Wire High End (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140390547689&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/belkin.jpg
:)
Reid Malenfant
22-04-2011, 18:05
Pity it doesn't mention the cable cross sectional area (csa) as they could well be interesting :)
If they were 2.5mm^2 or more then good news ;)
The Grand Wazoo
22-04-2011, 18:30
There are two gauges of this stuff - 14 swg & 16 swg. I got 2 sets of the fatter stuff - one for £15 on Ebay & another for under £4 on Ebuyer!
It's very good and compliments the interconnects very well.
Reid Malenfant
22-04-2011, 19:02
Cheers Chris, at least someone knows what's what :) Nothing on the listing though so any idea what that stuff is?
The Grand Wazoo
22-04-2011, 19:14
It looks just like the photos in the adverts that I bought mine from - but someone else here got the thinner stuff a while back & they looked the same too!
There's a lot of generic photography stemming from the Belkin promotional dept, I reckon - hence all the confusion about the grey & white incterconnects.
I searched around on the Belkin site, but there was nothing more there than has already described in the ebay listing :(
I just bought the Belkin pure silver phonos form cables and leads uk, £15 and free shipping. Im a happy boy. Thanks to the previous thread contributions i can sleep easy.
Now if i can find the matching speaker leads i can sell of my exotic wires and be quids in :eyebrows:
Ta folks.
The Grand Wazoo
22-04-2011, 23:29
This seems like the cheapest way of getting the 16 awg version:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-PureAV-AV53102-High-Performance-Speaker/dp/B0021TCDO4/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1303514764&sr=1-15
This doesn't have the grey plastic braid over it or the bananas, but it'll do the job a treat, I reckon.
The fat stuff is way more expensive now - looks like what I bought from Ebuyer just a few months ago for under four quid is over £100 in some places!
..........but if you hunt around...........
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-14Awg-Pre-Term-Cable-Banana/dp/B0009PTHOG/ref=pd_rhf_shvl_4
search for Belkin 14 awg & you'll find a very wide range of prices
This seems like the cheapest way of getting the 16 awg version:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-PureAV-AV53102-High-Performance-Speaker/dp/B0021TCDO4/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1303514764&sr=1-15
This doesn't have the grey plastic braid over it or the bananas, but it'll do the job a treat, I reckon.
The fat stuff is way more expensive now - looks like what I bought from Ebuyer just a few months ago for under four quid is over £100 in some places!
..........but if you hunt around...........
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-14Awg-Pre-Term-Cable-Banana/dp/B0009PTHOG/ref=pd_rhf_shvl_4
search for Belkin 14 awg & you'll find a very wide range of prices
Thanks Chris. I will keep a look out for some 2m pairs. Probably to late though, it looks like Belkin have pulled out of the market and only make digital cable now.
I bought 2 sets of them as I have 2 sets of speaker posts on my amp and bi-wireable speakers, 90 sets he has sold now, I SAY TO EVERYONE GET SOME NOW
they are tremendous, they even have detachable banana plugs, yes they may be too long for some people but £15 is £15, just as good as frank's interconnect find.
I SAY TO EVERYONE GET SOME NOW
I hate this forum sometimes... click click http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSrGdDCghnk3-dnC6ecTvF_kdFojBbwmXc2U7D_4rtvt9LVl8QM
;)
Marvellous........ I can claim I have (finally) had Alex for 18.00 :)
Now I only have about £2,750 left to go :lol:
Marvellous........ I can claim I have (finally) had Alex for 18.00 :)
Fair cop, Guv! :) Much obliged to ya.
Now I only have about £2,750 left to go :lol:
... and counting! :D
Marvellous........ I can claim I have (finally) had Alex for 18.00 :)
Now I only have about £2,750 left to go :lol:
Excellent find boss, the boxes are something else, it takes ages to get it open, you need industrial cutters and the packaging is something else, inspires confidence un-packing the cables and when they are out they look like snakes they are so thick. Awesome! :)
That is 2 x12f lengths???????? Wow that is VFM, 2 X12f lengths you say:)
Just ordered me a set - we'll see if they are better than my Chord cables which were IIRC £270 for 2x3 metre runs...
And here, for £18 no brainer:).
MUST... RESIST...
Oh bugger.
http://www.simister.com/public/postman.jpg
MUST... RESIST...
Oh bugger.
http://www.simister.com/public/postman.jpg
:lolsign:
RochaCullen
09-05-2011, 12:55
Excellent find boss, the boxes are something else, it takes ages to get it open, you need industrial cutters and the packaging is something else, inspires confidence un-packing the cables and when they are out they look like snakes they are so thick. Awesome! :)
Hi,
Did you go for the ones linked to in the first post from ebay, or did you go for the ones on Amazon?
Nathan
...and another set from ebay :)
Even if you melt them down for scrap you'd get your money back!!! :lol:
RochaCullen
09-05-2011, 13:27
...and another set from ebay :)
Even if you melt them down for scrap you'd get your money back!!! :lol:
Just ordered a set... jeepers, the peer pressure. You guys would put Mrs Doyle to shame: "Go on, go on, go on, go on."
Just finished my monoblock gain clones, so these cables will do nicely.
Nathan
:lolsign: revenge is a dish best served cold . . .
:lolsign: revenge is a dish best served cold . . .
...and often! :lol:
Pity it doesn't mention the cable cross sectional area (csa) as they could well be interesting :)
If they were 2.5mm^2 or more then good news ;)
I don't think you should get too het up over the CSA aspect Mark as some of the best speaker cables I have ever heard could barely muster 0.6mm
Any road up, I have bought a set that Tim showed a picture of in the first post, so will give my verdict when they arrive.
I cannot seem to locate the 14awg cables. mainly because there is too much flowery marketing and not enough technical info in the adverts I have seen. Has anyone tried the 15awg flat cable?
I don't think you should get too het up over the CSA aspect Mark as some of the best speaker cables I have ever heard could barely muster 0.6mm
Any road up, I have bought a set that Tim showed a picture of in the first post, so will give my verdict when they arrive.
I cannot seem to locate the 14awg cables. mainly because there is too much flowery marketing and not enough technical info in the adverts I have seen. Has anyone tried the 15awg flat cable?
ditto
it sounds exceptional to me, it's another belkin bargain to add to the list.
Reid Malenfant
09-05-2011, 19:26
I guess it depends on the cable run, IE how long it is & if there is a passive crossover after it Frank ;) I prefer a thicker cable feeding my bass drivers simply because the amplifier will have more control over the cone due to an increase in damping factor with thicker cables.
I agree it may not matter with most passive speakers, but as i design my own & invariably the bass driver is directly driven from a power amp I like to keep loop resistance to a minimum :) That way i get the predicted driver response.
Wow - came this morning (ordered at the weekend) and another belting Belkin bargain by the looks of them... I wonder how much these were retailing at originally? Shame they're too short for my main set up, but I couldn't be left out at that price! :lol:
Wow - came this morning (ordered at the weekend) and another belting Belkin bargain by the looks of them... I wonder how much these were retailing at originally? Shame they're too short for my main set up, but I couldn't be left out at that price! :lol:
So did mine -- Holy moley these are chunky cables. Cannot try them yet as I'm at work and there is no hi-fi to hook em up to...
think they sold for £80-£90 originally, the packaging is something else, takes ages to get them out!
Mine arrived today too. Won't get to try them until tomorrow afternoon.
RochaCullen
10-05-2011, 15:24
Wow - came this morning (ordered at the weekend) and another belting Belkin bargain by the looks of them... I wonder how much these were retailing at originally? Shame they're too short for my main set up, but I couldn't be left out at that price! :lol:
Any pics, I won't get mine for another week, so the curiosity is eating me up!!!
Nathan
The Grand Wazoo
10-05-2011, 15:44
They're still available at over £100 in some places. £115 here:
http://www.expansys.com/belkin-14awg-pre-term-speaker-cable-screw-on-banana-2-4m-152145/
Mine are the 14 awg versions - I think I was lucky to take a risk on these earlier when I was trying out the interconnects because I managed to get my first set for under £4 from Ebuyers - it was their last pair.
Jeez you can pay that for a pint if you go to the wrong pub! My other pair came from Ebay at £15.
Amazon have 1 pair of 14 awg's left for £24 - but be quick!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-14Awg-Pre-Term-Cable-Banana/dp/B0009PTHOG
Why do think they did a 14 strand and a 16 strand version :scratch:
The Grand Wazoo
10-05-2011, 15:51
Why do think they did a 14 strand and a 16 strand version :scratch:
AWG is 'American Wire Gauge' Colin - it's the thickness
.........an increase by 6 gauges gives you a halving of diameter. An increase by 3 gauges causes the x-sectional area to half.
Diameter increases as gauge number goes down - rather in the same way as shotgun bores (12 bore is bigger than 16 bore - or gauge if you're American)
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
Ta Chris.
Im thinking of buying a pair to match the av silver ics. Isnt that pathetic.
Sounds like the sort of thing my ex wife would do.
The Grand Wazoo
10-05-2011, 16:07
Well I got mine because I reasoned that if they could do such a good job of interconnects, then there was a fair chance that they could make a decent fist of speaker cables. Oh God, how right I was.
Don't worry, they won't match your interconnects! - they're grey and fatter......much fatter!
That will do me. I have Atlas Hyper, they sound very good but they are to short and look like weedy bits of spagetti.
Ammonite Audio
10-05-2011, 20:15
Well, I followed the herd and ordered a pair of these cables, and they arrived today. With some excitement, I plugged them into the Lyngdorf TDA2200 and Avalon NP2.0 speakers, in place of the really cheap "Ixos 606 Pakora Silver Plated OFC and OFC Silver Hybrid With Bass Line" speaker cables that I had lying around for years and which turned out to be better than my MIT AVtS1 cables.
Are these Belkin cables the Giant Killers that everyone hoped for? No. Not in a million years. They are new and possibly require a few hundred hours to settle in, but they sound so unremarkable, without any of the natural and lovely musical fluidity of the Ixos cables (or the MITs). The system sounds small and dull with these cables - quite the opposite of what I'm use to. The ultimate test is whether you want to listen; and I don't. Maybe I'll change my mind in due course, but I'll wager that these cables' essential character will remain unchanged.
So, sorry to disappoint anyone. These Belkin cables are worth exactly what they cost, but no more. Maybe that explains the astonishing discount?
The Ixos cables cost me all of £10 - that was a true bargain.
Well, I followed the herd and ordered a pair of these cables, and they arrived today. With some excitement, I plugged them into the Lyngdorf TDA2200 and Avalon NP2.0 speakers, in place of the really cheap "Ixos 606 Pakora Silver Plated OFC and OFC Silver Hybrid With Bass Line" speaker cables that I had lying around for years and which turned out to be better than my MIT AVtS1 cables.
Are these Belkin cables the Giant Killers that everyone hoped for? No. Not in a million years. They are new and possibly require a few hundred hours to settle in, but they sound so unremarkable, without any of the natural and lovely musical fluidity of the Ixos cables (or the MITs).
So, sorry to disappoint anyone. These Belkin cables are worth exactly what they cost, but no more. Maybe that explains the astonishing discount?
.
Just great:( I've not even tried mine yet, don't know if I can be bothered to fight my way through the nuclear holocaust-proof packaging now:lol:
Well, I followed the herd and ordered a pair of these cables, and they arrived today. With some excitement, I plugged them into the Lyngdorf TDA2200 and Avalon NP2.0 speakers, in place of the really cheap "Ixos 606 Pakora Silver Plated OFC and OFC Silver Hybrid With Bass Line" speaker cables that I had lying around for years and which turned out to be better than my MIT AVtS1 cables.
Are these Belkin cables the Giant Killers that everyone hoped for? No. Not in a million years. They are new and possibly require a few hundred hours to settle in, but they sound so unremarkable, without any of the natural and lovely musical fluidity of the Ixos cables (or the MITs). The system sounds small and dull with these cables - quite the opposite of what I'm use to. The ultimate test is whether you want to listen; and I don't. Maybe I'll change my mind in due course, but I'll wager that these cables' essential character will remain unchanged.
So, sorry to disappoint anyone. These Belkin cables are worth exactly what they cost, but no more. Maybe that explains the astonishing discount?
The Ixos cables cost me all of £10 - that was a true bargain.
Hi Hugo,
I would be suprised if a £15 set of speaker cables can give anyone the same level of performance as a high end brand.Bit like expecting clearer audio copper line to sound as good as your vertex AQ power cord, not likely. What you fail to mention is cables are system dependant. They may sound rubbish in your system, and I would say that they need burning in as you have hinted but to infer that everyone should dismiss them because of one comment is just plain daft.
I have a decent system and I think they are great, I am using 2 sets from my Jeff Rowand power amp to bi-amp my speakers and I like them a lot, your post will maybe have people thinking they have wasted their money, IMHO they are a no brainer for anyone who likes to experiment and have a few sets of cables around for listening to different types of music.
They may not be giant killers in your system but in others who knows.:)
Mine came today, and you need a explosive device to open the packaging, then unpack.... and christ these cables are well made 24f of cable for £18 odd:scratch:, then plugged them in and...... very nice,good bass, musical smooth expressive for the wonga these are a no brainer, have about 4 odd hours on them so far me likey
I have 2 pairs so they look like something out of that film Anaconda!
I have 2 pairs so they look like something out of that film Anaconda!
:lolsign:
I don't expect them to be better than my Chord cables but there are so many variables in hi-fi try it and see is the only worthwhile approach IMHO.
Worst case they can still succesfully replace the generic 79 strand I'm still using on the AV system:rolleyes:
Martin, they aint too shabby.
chris@panteg
10-05-2011, 23:40
I have 2 pairs so they look like something out of that film Anaconda!
Anaconda ! great performance by Jon Voight :eyebrows:
Ammonite Audio
11-05-2011, 04:47
Hi Hugo,
I would be suprised if a £15 set of speaker cables can give anyone the same level of performance as a high end brand.Bit like expecting clearer audio copper line to sound as good as your vertex AQ power cord, not likely. What you fail to mention is cables are system dependant. They may sound rubbish in your system, and I would say that they need burning in as you have hinted but to infer that everyone should dismiss them because of one comment is just plain daft.
I have a decent system and I think they are great, I am using 2 sets from my Jeff Rowand power amp to bi-amp my speakers and I like them a lot, your post will maybe have people thinking they have wasted their money, IMHO they are a no brainer for anyone who likes to experiment and have a few sets of cables around for listening to different types of music.
They may not be giant killers in your system but in others who knows.:)
These cables may have sold on eBay for £15, at which price point they are OK, but they are patently not "£15 Cables", having previously sold for rather more. You are right in pointing out that my comments alone should not be taken as Gospel, but like reviews in a magazine they are a guide. My system is quite good at showing differences between cables of any sort, but as you say, others may experience other outcomes.
I did not really expect them to be Giant Killers, but at that price there was little financial risk and I was curious. My cheapo £10 Ixos cables are very much Giant Killers, though.
Holy heck! I have just received my cables and others on here really were not kidding when they said the packaging could survive a nuclear detonation :eek:
Now I have released them I shall go and have a play with them :eyebrows:
Just to confirm - the ones in the OP are 14 AWG. :)
Only had a very brief listen on a couple of tracks and here are my thoughts so far.
The construction and finish is very good, although the outer mesh covering does look rather spartan and skimped on to be honest. I am however very pleased with the "Z" plugs fitted to these Belkins which do a grand job of gripping the sockets on both amp and speakers, so that's a big step away from the splined plugs fitted to the Stirling Black Mambas I am currently using, which coupled with a heavy cable isn't a good marriage, so you end up with the equivalent of a willy in a wellington boot (apart from Marco of course who is well gifted so rumour goes).
On to the sound now. Bearing in mind these were malingering inside a packet not half an hour ago, they have some intriguing attributes which may alter over time with "burn in". Bass is astonishing; I put on Stanley Clarke's "East River Drive" which has a bass line in the first track which sorts out the men from the boys. With the Belkin cables I am getting a deep satisfying growl within the bass line on the opening track of this album called "Justice's Groove" rather than just a fat plump bass with the Mamba's. At the top end too there appears to be a lot more space around the instruments so they are much easier to follow as individual instruments without being smeared or swamped by the bass. Depth of imaging has also increased; not by a huge margin, but enough to be detected and for that matter appreciated.
Next I moved on to "Ocean Club" on Yello's Baby album. This has dynamics in the bass and mids that almost conflict with each other at times which readily masks the delicate brush playing on the drums, coupled with sharp intrusive blasts on a saxophone for good measure, but the Belkins sailed through this test with aplomb - I am impressed now.
Lastly, a track of Stevie Ray Vaughan's ubiquitous "Tin Pan Alley" track. Not an obstacle course to climb over that's for sure, BUT there is an immense amount of inner detail in that recording not least of which the ambience that is sorely missed when you don't hear it, which either makes this track a total pleasure to listen to, or a slow boring crawl on all fours until the track finishes. I enjoyed every second, so no worries there.
Like I said at the beginning, this is only a snapshot of a cable fresh out of the packet and later on me and this cable will meet again for some more listening, this time seeing if there is synergy to be found when other interconnects are plumbed into the system :eyebrows:
A very encouraging review Frank...
One small problem, mine allegedly arrived this morning, temporarily...and are now back in the 'central' (now located half way to Leicester) PO depot.
I don't think my postie understands the concept of a door bell...bugger! :steam:
I'll just have to cool my heels until tomorrow :eyebrows:
A very encouraging review Frank...
One small problem, mine allegedly arrived this morning, temporarily...and are now back in the 'central' (now located half way to Leicester) PO depot.
I don't think my postie understands the concept of a door bell...bugger! :steam:
I'll just have to cool my heels until tomorrow :eyebrows:
If you had Adam Crozier as your boss you would understand the postman's attitude!
You will be pleasantly surprised I think. Be aware though it takes a hefty pair of scissors to open them, be careful.
Be aware though it takes a hefty pair of scissors to open them, be careful.
Wimps. I got them open with my bare hands. ;)
First impressions are very favourable - seems to be more of everything there, certainly more bass. Will let them burn in a few hours before making any further judgement.
vinylspinner
11-05-2011, 17:06
Frank,
Try the Belkin screw on plugs on the Mambas, good chance that they will fit, that is worth the £15 on its own!!
Nigel
Frank,
Try the Belkin screw on plugs on the Mambas, good chance that they will fit, that is worth the £15 on its own!!
Nigel
I did think of doing that Nigel :eyebrows:
Wimps. I got them open with my bare hands. ;)
I bet this man can manage FOUR shredded wheat in the mornings :lol:
:lol:
Not really. There's a perforated section on the back that pulls open. You can then get the grey internal plastic bit out followed by most of the cables. The plugs just need a finger through the holes in the next bit of plastic to push them forwards and out of the moulded bit that holds them in. Simples. :)
I got the perforated panel open on the back quite easily . . . . it went downhill after that :lol:
If you had Adam Crozier as your boss you would understand the postman's attitude!
Yes the man is a tit of the highest order...although I doubt our postie has a direct line of responsibility to him ;)
Anyway I spotted him yesterday afternoon on his second run, and they should be with me today at some point...he's probably at home 'burning' them in for me :lol:
I think Crozier has finished wrecking the Royal Mail and has moved on to pastures new...
Last I heard Mr Crozier was working at ITV. No wonder the programmes are shite :rolleyes:
Yes the man is a tit of the highest order...although I doubt our postie has a direct line of responsibility to him ;)
Anyway I spotted him yesterday afternoon on his second run, and they should be with me today at some point...he's probably at home 'burning' them in for me :lol:
Update, just spotted them laying on top of my recycle bin in the back garden, thank goodness the packaging is waterproof, I suppose he was showing some initiative...what a lump of kit for £15 :eek:
they have screw on connectors as well so you can change them to spades quite easily
This seems like the cheapest way of getting the 16 awg version:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-PureAV-AV53102-High-Performance-Speaker/dp/B0021TCDO4/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1303514764&sr=1-15
This doesn't have the grey plastic braid over it or the bananas, but it'll do the job a treat, I reckon.
The fat stuff is way more expensive now - looks like what I bought from Ebuyer just a few months ago for under four quid is over £100 in some places!
..........but if you hunt around...........
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-14Awg-Pre-Term-Cable-Banana/dp/B0009PTHOG/ref=pd_rhf_shvl_4
search for Belkin 14 awg & you'll find a very wide range of prices
Just to confirm again Chris - the link in the first post by Tim is the 14 awg stuff. It is really good, but too short for my main system, so I've ordered a reel of the 16 awg stuff to try as well from your link. Also found the cheapest set of 4 Belkin gold banana plugs on ebay at £4.49 delivered - but be quick, only 2 sets left...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320487388347&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_1725wt_998
I dont understand the clip on plugs. They look molded.
If they are removable , what are you left with, bare wire ?
I have some WBT plugs that are for crimping. Im wondering if they could be used.
Colin - if you're talking about the 14 awg ones, then yes, the actual plug is moulded but the metal "tip" screws off so you can swap to screw on spades instead of bananas.
Colin - if you're talking about the 14 awg ones, then yes, the actual plug is moulded but the metal "tip" screws off so you can swap to screw on spades instead of bananas.
Where can I get some screw on spades? Anyone? These will do for my Dittons then.
The Grand Wazoo
12-05-2011, 17:33
Where can I get some screw on spades? Anyone? These will do for my Dittons then.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Gold-Screw-Speaker-Spades/dp/B0007YBFBC
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Gold-Screw-Speaker-Spades/dp/B0007YBFBC
oh the power of google!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Gold-Screw-Speaker-Spades/dp/B0007YBFBC
Ordered! Cheers Dude!
The Grand Wazoo
12-05-2011, 20:31
Ordered! Cheers Dude!
Y'welcome!
Ammonite Audio
14-05-2011, 16:47
Doesn't anyone have any further listening impressions for these Belkin speaker cables?
My set have changed after a week or so in the system. In particular, the boring, grey, undynamic sound has given way to something more listenable. These cables now have a real zingy edge to them which is patently not correct, but may calm down after a bit more time. Certainly, I am getting more detail through than was the case with the cheapy Ixos stuff; also the bass has deepened and is actually quite nicely defined and controlled. What is lacking so far is a musical 'whole' - I don't find myself wanting to listen for long periods, even if the razor-edged detailing is superficially impressive in a HiFi sense. So, I'm not yet ready to give these Belkin cables an endorsement, but they may come good in time. I wonder if some time on a cable toaster would do some good?
Doesn't anyone have any further listening impressions for these Belkin speaker cables?
My set have changed after a week or so in the system. In particular, the boring, grey, undynamic sound has given way to something more listenable. These cables now have a real zingy edge to them which is patently not correct, but may calm down after a bit more time. Certainly, I am getting more detail through than was the case with the cheapy Ixos stuff; also the bass has deepened and is actually quite nicely defined and controlled. What is lacking so far is a musical 'whole' - I don't find myself wanting to listen for long periods, even if the razor-edged detailing is superficially impressive in a HiFi sense. So, I'm not yet ready to give these Belkin cables an endorsement, but they may come good in time. I wonder if some time on a cable toaster would do some good?
send the cables and I will toast them for you as I value your views on these BOTC.
l too am finding them a smidgen grey..... but there seems to be a lot of metal in there.......:)
I bought 2 pairs for biwiring, previously I'd had some old solid copper core mission bi-wirable cable, which I bought with my speakers back in '96 ;)
After listening for about 24 hrs I've come to 2 conclusions, firstly this belkin speaker cable is very good, and secondly that my previous speaker cable was not very good at all.
That's the only way I can explain the improvement of everything, bass, depth, clarity, soundstage...and anything else for that matter ;)
What a huge upgrade for £30, cheers for whoever started this thread :)
:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
Reid Malenfant
14-05-2011, 18:13
:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
& after all that beer they'll sound even better :D
Just to confirm again Chris - the link in the first post by Tim is the 14 awg stuff. It is really good, but too short for my main system, so I've ordered a reel of the 16 awg stuff to try as well from your link. Also found the cheapest set of 4 Belkin gold banana plugs on ebay at £4.49 delivered - but be quick, only 2 sets left...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320487388347&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_1725wt_998
Well, first of all I hope no one else bought the "Belkin Gold" banana plugs from eBay on my recommendation... if these are really Belkin, I'll eat my own willy... Absolute pile of poo, and went straight in the bin. :steam: (The grub screws didn't, the "sticky out bits" on the plugs are flimsy as a flimsy thing on flimsy Thursday, and generally they are shite. No such thing as a free (cheap) lunch... Except a 30' reel of cable for a fiver - can't be any good, can it? (Spoiler alert: no revelations in this post - only just fired it up. :))
What I did want to do though is reveal a bit more detail about the 16awg cable, having now dissected it.
First off, both the positive and negative (red and black) sides of the cable appear to be constructed the same. There is a central solid core, which has its own clear insulation, and therefore needs stripping back independently of the outer red or black insulation. Around this central solid core are two much thinner solid copper strands (uninsulated) and seven independent strands of what I can only describe as "copper thread" - what I think are two very thin copper strands wound tightly together. This combination makes it quite difficult to strip and terminate without f****** it up and chopping one or more strands of copper off, and I have no idea of the theory or benefits of the construction technique, or indeed if it is unusual, though I've never seen anything like it before in a speaker cable.
Now I just need to evaluate how it sounds compared to the more traditional multi-stranded belden wire I've been using for the last couple of years...
& after all that beer they'll sound even better :D
The beer was just the start of it...bit of a long night Mark ;)
They still sound good with a hangover, although at a slightly lower volume :doh:
Just spotted it was Tim/GreatGig who started the thread...so cheers Tim :)
wee tee cee
16-05-2011, 15:31
Just ordered a set.I got on so well with the interconnects I am intrigued to hear them.Hope they dont give my tellurium black a leathering.
My sons system is now worth a bloody fortune with all my cast offs.....
RochaCullen
16-05-2011, 15:32
Mine arrived this morning. I can't wait to get home and test them out.
I would like to know how they compare. Please keep us posted.
Just spotted it was Tim/GreatGig who started the thread...so cheers Tim :)
My pleasure, the first commission cheque should be due in the next few days ;)
My pleasure, the first commission cheque should be due in the next few days ;)
I'll also blame you when the missus spots 4 grey anacondas in the living room...:lol:
Have a virtual Guiness on me...:cool:
And a real one if you're ever in Cov ;)
Just a bit more help, if you need spade connectors for the Belkins these fit in perfectly:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Premium-Speaker-Terminal-Spade-Connectors-24K-Gold-x-8-/360242088471?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item53e01a0a17
worthingpagan
23-05-2011, 20:37
Been reading the posts on this thread, ordered some of the speaker cable and interconnects, just wondered what the general consensus is now that people have had some of this kit for a few days or more? Waiting for mine to arrive
Its f...in stupendous for the money. IMO of course.
The Grand Wazoo
23-05-2011, 20:46
Hi Mark,
It's nice that you've picked up on something so cheap & good from the Art of Sound.
Would you mind going over to the Welcome section to give yourself a little introductory post, so we can get to know you a bit - tell us about yourself, your system & your favourite music.
Cheers
worthingpagan
23-05-2011, 20:47
Hi Mark,
It's nice that you've picked up on something so cheap & good from the Art of Sound.
Would you mind going over to the Welcome section to give yourself a little introductory post, so we can get to know you a bit - tell us about yourself, your system & your favourite music.
Cheers
will do, sorry
The Grand Wazoo
23-05-2011, 20:47
No worries!
Have a virtual Guiness on me...:cool:
And a real one if you're ever in Cov ;)
Ooo, Guinness, my favourite tipple :)
Ooo, Guinness, my favourite tipple :)
And mine, got to be draught mind you i don't do tinnies it completely ruins the taste
Jac Hawk
24-05-2011, 00:49
Seems i'm a bit late to this thread, anyway i've been using the 16awg cable for a few months now, i paid £10 for a 30ft spool off ebay, and i must say it kicks my old QED cables well an truly into touch, they do take about 50 hrs to properly burn in but the sound just gets better and better, with more bass and more overall detail than my old cables, for £10 in p&p you really can't go wrong, incidentally i use these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Banana-Speaker-Plugs-4mm-24K-Gold-Plated-Shielded-X2-/270462151622?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item3ef8ccebc6 banana plugs, and they are great too
Its f...in stupendous for the money. IMO of course.
+1, Got 2 sets for bi-amping, which have been in for over a week now, an even better bargain than the Belkin interconnects IMHO :)
Ammonite Audio
24-05-2011, 08:13
I wrote earlier:
My set have changed after a week or so in the system. In particular, the boring, grey, undynamic sound has given way to something more listenable. These cables now have a real zingy edge to them which is patently not correct, but may calm down after a bit more time. Certainly, I am getting more detail through than was the case with the cheapy Ixos stuff; also the bass has deepened and is actually quite nicely defined and controlled. What is lacking so far is a musical 'whole' - I don't find myself wanting to listen for long periods, even if the razor-edged detailing is superficially impressive in a HiFi sense. So, I'm not yet ready to give these Belkin cables an endorsement, but they may come good in time. I wonder if some time on a cable toaster would do some good?
They do appear to be coming good after more time settling in, so this is a bit of a volte face on my part. That feeling of artificially heightened top end detail has softened and I'm actually rather enjoying listening to music with these cables, so that pretty much says what needs to be said about musicality. I see that the eBay seller still has them for sale at the same price, which does represent a true bargain (not least because he must be making a loss on the postage).
110 pairs sold! Im interested again now Hugh has warmed to them. Kicking myself on missing the Belkin av30s from last years thread.
What is the consensus on the plug quality?
Seems i'm a bit late to this thread, anyway i've been using the 16awg cable for a few months now, i paid £10 for a 30ft spool off ebay, and i must say it kicks my old QED cables well an truly into touch, they do take about 50 hrs to properly burn in but the sound just gets better and better, with more bass and more overall detail than my old cables, for £10 in p&p you really can't go wrong, incidentally i use these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Banana-Speaker-Plugs-4mm-24K-Gold-Plated-Shielded-X2-/270462151622?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item3ef8ccebc6 banana plugs, and they are great too
50 hours eh, may give them a go, got around 15 ish, the Microphonics kick the Belkins bottom at the moment, the Belkins very well balanced anddo sound good but as someone else said a bit grey:(
worthingpagan
24-05-2011, 13:45
Stayed indoors today waiting for the Belkin speaker cable, which duly arrived mid morning. Hooked it up to my kit and WOW! Been blasting out tunes non stop since. Great detail, imaging, balance, bass, it can only get better as the cables burn in but already i'm more than pleased. I can't believe this cable is so cheap, i've had cables that have cost 10+ times this price that haven't sounded as good, even after burn in :eek: I bought some solid silver speaker cable a while back that ran my old Chord Sigs very close indeed, so much so that i sold them, but this cable is just as enjoyable already as those silver cables, so they'll be going for auction sometime soon :eyebrows:. I got mine on ebay for £18@ delivered, IMO a true hifi bargain. For the price of a curry and a couple of pints you've got nothing to lose, honestly, you must buy some ;)
Stayed indoors today waiting for the Belkin speaker cable, which duly arrived mid morning. Hooked it up to my kit and WOW! Been blasting out tunes non stop since. Great detail, imaging, balance, bass, it can only get better as the cables burn in but already i'm more than pleased. I can't believe this cable is so cheap, i've had cables that have cost 10+ times this price that haven't sounded as good, even after burn in :eek: I bought some solid silver speaker cable a while back that ran my old Chord Sigs very close indeed, so much so that i sold them, but this cable is just as enjoyable already as those silver cables, so they'll be going for auction sometime soon :eyebrows:. I got mine on ebay for £18@ delivered, IMO a true hifi bargain. For the price of a curry and a couple of pints you've got nothing to lose, honestly, you must buy some ;)
Keep blasting them and they'll get even better...:)
Even my non hi-fi mates can hear the improvement, and the missus has temporarily excused the 4 new grey snakes (bi-amped) based on the obvious improvement...my previous flat solid core mission stuff was under the carpet, not much chance of that with these fellows...
I need to find some cable hiders sharpish ;)
icehockeyboy
26-05-2011, 08:01
Hi all, first post, but well known to a few here!
Anyway, always one to love a bit of cable play, I have sent off for what seems to be an amazing bargain, although like a few of you, don't know where the coiled snake is going to hide!
Obviously I will post my findings.
PS, looks like a nice place here, oh, and hi Frank (Effem) :)
Hi all, first post, but well known to a few here!
Anyway, always one to love a bit of cable play, I have sent off for what seems to be an amazing bargain, although like a few of you, don't know where the coiled snake is going to hide!
Obviously I will post my findings.
PS, looks like a nice place here, oh, and hi Frank (Effem) :)
Hiya Craig :)
So are you going to divulge what your latest dabble is, or keep us all in suspense? :ner:
Could someone please tell me if these are a 2m pair or a 4m pair?
Could someone please tell me if these are a 2m pair or a 4m pair?
12" or 3.7m in new money ;)
As long as its 2m either side thats fine 4m is to long.
As long as its 2m either side thats fine 4m is to long.
No no no no no no no!!!!!
3.7m per cable, not a combined length of both ;)
Ahh!! That was close. You guys must have huge listening rooms:eek:
Or, like me, they've got a lot of cable coiled up behind their racks :eyebrows:
Ahh!! That was close. You guys must have huge listening rooms:eek:
Ah...my rack is to the left of the room so I need the full length for my right speaker (and they're just long enough), the other 2 (bi-amp) like Keith's are coiled up behind my left speaker.
My TV goes between the speakers...;)
Ah...my rack is to the left of the room so I need the full length for my right speaker (and they're just long enough), the other 2 (bi-amp) like Keith's are coiled up behind my left speaker.
My TV goes between the speakers...;)
Up until recently i was going that direction but now i have a 2.1 with everything in a subwoofer enclosure, stuck in the middle of the speakers and tv on top.
Ive gone minimal for the first time in my life. Dont know what to do with the space.
icehockeyboy
26-05-2011, 22:18
Hiya Craig :)
So are you going to divulge what your latest dabble is, or keep us all in suspense? :ner:
Hi Frank, sorry, I thought it was obvious that I had ordered the Belkin cable you are all going on about.
I assume that IS what you meant?
:)
icehockeyboy
27-05-2011, 10:45
The Belkins arrived this morning, and seeing as I'd only ordered them late Wednesday night, I was amazed at the sellers quick response, especially as I only paid for standard delivery, possibly helped by being in the next County!
Plumbed them in and first reaction is that at the moment the top end isn't quite "there" but that is only after a 2 minute listen, and at a very low level as my daughter is a student and obviously is still in bed! :rolleyes: but what I don't recall hearing in such a way is the whisper behind Jim Morrisons vocals on Riders on the storm. Now playing Light My Fire, and possibly my first reaction re the top end may be wrong...........I can't turn up the volume enough to give it a proper listen!:(
Certainly well made, and as others have noted, a bugger to release from the packing!
A non brainer for sub £20, and may well give my current favourite wire a big run for it's position in my system. :)
EDIT to add: Now daughter is awake and I can crank it up a bit, I take back what I said about the top end.
Sounding very good, very good indeed!
Footnote, is it just me, but when something sounds as good as this at the start, is it just familiarity that sets in and I become accustomed to the sound, and then the chase starts again?
Footnote, is it just me, but when something sounds as good as this at the start, is it just familiarity that sets in and I become accustomed to the sound, and then the chase starts again?
You will have to train yourself to think over the longer term. Some nights my system sounds a tad off song (to me) but the next night and probably a week or so it sounds absolutely sublime and gives me immense pleasure, which is far more to do with me and my mood and alertness than any system problems.
You will have to train yourself to think over the longer term. Some nights my system sounds a tad off song (to me) but the next night and probably a week or so it sounds absolutely sublime and gives me immense pleasure, which is far more to do with me and my mood and alertness than any system problems.
+1
And how good the wine is etc... ;)
The Belkins arrived this morning, and seeing as I'd only ordered them late Wednesday night, I was amazed at the sellers quick response, especially as I only paid for standard delivery, possibly helped by being in the next County!
Plumbed them in and first reaction is that at the moment the top end isn't quite "there" but that is only after a 2 minute listen, and at a very low level as my daughter is a student and obviously is still in bed! :rolleyes: but what I don't recall hearing in such a way is the whisper behind Jim Morrisons vocals on Riders on the storm. Now playing Light My Fire, and possibly my first reaction re the top end may be wrong...........I can't turn up the volume enough to give it a proper listen!:(
Certainly well made, and as others have noted, a bugger to release from the packing!
A non brainer for sub £20, and may well give my current favourite wire a big run for it's position in my system. :)
EDIT to add: Now daughter is awake and I can crank it up a bit, I take back what I said about the top end.
Sounding very good, very good indeed!
Give them a good 30 hrs or so and they'll get even better...:)
Plugged mine back in and can confirm that they are sounding better, but still a tad grey, but that is diminishing a little, further report to follow but they are definately improving- nice bass and bass control:)
icehockeyboy
27-05-2011, 13:27
My listening has come to an abrupt end, daughter has turned of my system and put tv on!
(thinks....when is she going back to uni????) :(
RochaCullen
27-05-2011, 13:50
My listening has come to an abrupt end, daughter has turned of my system and put tv on!
(thinks....when is she going back to uni????) :(
Are you in her house, or is she in yours? Turn off the TV and turn the volume up!! :ner:
My listening has come to an abrupt end, daughter has turned of my system and put tv on!
(thinks....when is she going back to uni????) :(
Do what??????? :eek:
Seems like the tail wags the dog in your house mate :lol:
My kids wouldn't dare, besides they both had their own TVs in their rooms to watch to leave the old man in peace :eyebrows:
These have been in my system for nearly 2 weeks now and my initial impressions about bass quality still holds true. The treble though although well extended is not quite as refined as I would like it, so I have rigged up a biwire arrangement with the Belkin performing bass duties, while for the moment I am using Arrow cable which is better at the top end than the Belkin, while the bass is not as deep or as coherent as the Belkin is, so I am using the best traits of both cables in my system by going biwired. This will probably change soon to another pairing.
icehockeyboy
02-06-2011, 09:25
Have to say I am really enjoying these cables!:) Hearing the shhhhhhhh of a drumstick brush? and delicate ttttttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssss sssssssssssss of cymbals/hi hats that I was not aware of on certain tracks..............
icehockeyboy
02-06-2011, 23:04
Plugged mine back in and can confirm that they are sounding better, but still a tad grey, but that is diminishing a little, further report to follow but they are definately improving- nice bass and bass control:)
Erm....'scuse my iggerance, but will you define "grey" please?:scratch:
worthingpagan
03-06-2011, 20:53
Erm....'scuse my iggerance, but will you define "grey" please?:scratch:
a whiter shade of black maybe? :cool::cool::cool:
As it happens i've consigned my belkins to a carrier bag on top of the wardrobe. Though initially i enjoyed the sound of the cables (I bought the matching i/c's also) i kind of felt there was "something" missing from the sound I had grown accustomed to with my silver litz cables. Probably i'll hook them up again sometime when i'm feeling my occasional urge to "adventure to the centre of the sound" as I haven't really given them a chance to burn in properly yet. They are an enjoyable cable, and for the money they are deffo vfm in any money, imo :guitar:
Erm....'scuse my iggerance, but will you define "grey" please?:scratch:
Err grey!:) l am listening to them at the moment, and each time l plug them in they seem to sound better, they have everything- but l am a tonal colour freak, and l still cannot rid the sound of the lack of tonal colour, it is very frustrating but l will keep trying- burning in maybe?
Plugged the Belkins in again and wow! These cables are musical!! The greyness is diminishing and the sound is really, really well balanced and the bass is world class, rich, round, warm and incredibly well controlled, definately worth percivering with l feel:)
icehockeyboy
14-06-2011, 09:41
Pleased to hear that, I am really enjoying them! :)
And you know what, it really is nice to be able to post on a forum and not be shot at for no reason at all! :)
jandl100
14-06-2011, 16:20
Craig / icehockeyboy nagged me into trying these cheapo cables ... what a deaf twat he is. :mental::steam:
Tee Hee ... only kidding. :eyebrows:
The 1-Word-Review would be "Gosh!"
Blimey, these are good. I've just ordered another pair as I've a 2nd Morgan Audio Deva amp arriving tomorrow so I can bi-amp. :cool:
Thanks Craig. :)
worthingpagan
14-06-2011, 18:00
Pleased to hear that, I am really enjoying them! :)
And you know what, it really is nice to be able to post on a forum and not be shot at for no reason at all! :)
Give it time :lol:
What music do you listen to IHB? The belkins seemed to be slightly lacking in detail retrieval for me, but that could be due to me not giving them enough time to run in. At the moment i'm using my solidsilver Litz with QED XT Revelation :yay:
Give it time :lol:
What music do you listen to IHB? The belkins seemed to be slightly lacking in detail retrieval for me, but that could be due to me not giving them enough time to run in. At the moment i'm using my solidsilver Litz with QED XT Revelation :yay:
l found these to be very detailed in a musical manner- in my system of course, but l feel they do take a lot of running in..............
worthingpagan
15-06-2011, 07:04
ooops, i meant to say QED XT Evolution :doh: (it's a fine budget cable imo)
The 1-Word-Review would be "Gosh!"
Blimey, these are good. I've just ordered another pair as I've a 2nd Morgan Audio Deva amp arriving tomorrow so I can bi-amp. :cool:
Thanks Craig. :)
Good to see you're on the bandwagon Jerry...:)
I'm bi-amping with a couple of sets, very nice indeed, excellent detail, bass, and imaging :cool:
icehockeyboy
15-06-2011, 13:41
Mark, looks like you are on your own re detail retrieval! :lol:
I'm also finding that certain things which were not "overly there" actually is with the Belks. :)
I listen to all sorts of music tbh, Beach Boys, Al Stewart, KD Laing, Genesis, Jeff Buckley, a wide assortment in fact.
Mark, looks like you are on your own re detail retrieval! :lol:
I'm also finding that certain things which were not "overly there" actually is with the Belks. :)
I listen to all sorts of music tbh, Beach Boys, Al Stewart, KD Laing, Genesis, Jeff Buckley, a wide assortment in fact.
Good analogy there Craig- hi Jerry how are you:)
worthingpagan
16-06-2011, 17:04
[QUOTE=icehockeyboy;224557]Mark, looks like you are on your own re detail retrieval! :lol:
No problem IHB ;) there's deffo something missing from me Alan Parsons that's there with the litz, but i've banged the belks back in again with the system bi-wired to give them a proper burn............maybe then the "temper temper" backing vocal will re-appear
Had mine plumbed in for a day now.
Like them, esp for the money.
Gave my system more bass, which is good I have small speakers.
They lack a bit of detail. Strings don't resonate as much as they did.
Franks suggestion of using the old cable for the tweeters and the Belkin for bass will be tried.
Reid Malenfant
17-06-2011, 18:09
Hi Tristan, would you mind popping into the welcome area of the forum & introducing yourself please? :)
A little about your system & musical tastes would also go down a treat as well. Normally i wouldn't ask, but this is now required of all new members of AoS as it makes for a better forum experience ;)
Thanks in advance :cool:
E2A:- i see you have just done exactly that, thanks very much & ignore the above :lol:
Reid Malenfant
17-06-2011, 18:16
No worries, you were damn quick on the ball :eyebrows:
RochaCullen
24-06-2011, 09:35
Hi All,
Given the number of people buying these I was wondering if anyone has decided that these cables are not for them and would like to pass them on. Somehow all the ebay sellers that are stocking them at the moment are averse to posting to Ireland. :steam:
I have a technophobe (i.e., no access to internet or ebay savvy) friend who has been hassling me to get him a set for the last while.
Regards,
Nathan
Hi All,
Given the number of people buying these I was wondering if anyone has decided that these cables are not for them and would like to pass them on. Somehow all the ebay sellers that are stocking them at the moment are averse to posting to Ireland. :steam:
I have a technophobe (i.e., no access to internet or ebay savvy) friend who has been hassling me to get him a set for the last while.
Regards,
Nathan
they are quite heavy dude so maybe £15 postage I reckon if its southern ireland? , if you want to buy a set and get them sent to me I will forward them on, I gave my last set to Nick Gorham, am using 2 sets myself at the moment as my Ninjas have gone!
or I can buy you a set myself and ditto just re-imburse me ?
RochaCullen
24-06-2011, 10:36
they are quite heavy dude so maybe £15 postage I reckon if its southern ireland? , if you want to buy a set and get them sent to me I will forward them on, I gave my last set to Nick Gorham, am using 2 sets myself at the moment as my Ninjas have gone!
or I can buy you a set myself and ditto just re-imburse me ?
That is a very kind offer David. I had a look for a buy-it-now offer on ebay for the cables but didn't see any with that option. There are a few others available but they would require bidding.
That is a very kind offer David. I had a look for a buy-it-now offer on ebay for the cables but didn't see any with that option. There are a few others available but they would require bidding.
let me see what I can do, don't buy any yet
RochaCullen
24-06-2011, 11:07
let me see what I can do, don't buy any yet
Hey David,
I just spoke to one of the guys on ebay, and he says despite his auction being UK only he would be willing to post to me. So let me bid on his cables and see where we are after that.
Thanks again.
Nathan
worthingpagan
24-06-2011, 14:21
After giving these cables more burn in time, I bought another pair. So now i've got my main floorstanding speakers bi-wired with 2 sets of these. On my smaller standmounts a set of QED XT Evolution bi-wired with a pair of solid silver core cables. My angry wife informs me the system is now "too loud and thunderous". :confused: I guess they must be working fairly well now then :lol:
My angry wife informs me the system is now "too loud and thunderous". :confused: I guess they must be working fairly well now then :lol:
You couldn't get a better compliment...that sort of thing should be printed on the back of the box for marketing purposes ;)
Have you managed to hide yours, I'm still looking for a cable tidy to cover mine...bi-amped too :)
You couldn't get a better compliment...that sort of thing should be printed on the back of the box for marketing purposes ;)
:)
:lolsign:
mine arrived this morning two days after buying, very flat to start with but now have a few hours on them and they are starting to open up a bit, lets hope so
Baaa
worthingpagan
25-06-2011, 13:35
Have you managed to hide yours,
Not a hope in hell, they're like fire hoses :lol:
After this thread's got me enthusiastic about the Belkin wire, I just tried to order a set. Unfortunately E-bay won't let me checkout after I hit "continue".
The site keeps telling me:
Please enter the correct information for the following fields:
Seller has not specified P&P fees for items in your basket.
I did fill in the postage cost ad £9.99 though.
He claims to ship worldwide (except to Italy).
I asked the seller if he allows direct purchase from him but I probably have to wait 1-2 days for an answer. :doh:
worthingpagan
26-06-2011, 01:25
mine arrived this morning two days after buying, very flat to start with but now have a few hours on them and they are starting to open up a bit, lets hope so
Baaa
Give it a week or two, your neighbours will let you know :eek:
worthingpagan
28-06-2011, 22:15
I'm selling all my belkin stuff that i've recently purchased. If anyone's interested details are in the appt thread and on wigwam :)
I just ordered a pair directly from the E-bay seller. Curious how the Belkin's will perform compared to my current no-name standard 2,5mm2 OFC cables.
worthingpagan
29-06-2011, 16:34
In my system, with my room layout, I found the Belkin's to be fairly muscular and bassy, with slightly less detail retrieval compared to my solid silver cables. But they are built to last forever and were great to listen to, but I live in a poorly sound insulated flat and if I kept on using these it wouldn't be long before i got an asbo :(
Plugged the Belkins in again and wow they are good! Bass is the most controlled yet of any speaker cable l have had, and they are so musical! These in my opinion do take one hell of a break in.............., listening to Boogie with Canned heat, it sounds very live with the Techie at the helm:guitar::rock::clap:
I just received the Belkins. Is there a way to plug these Belkin banana plugs into a Yamaha RX-V1300 (or I guess any Yamaha receiver/amp) with plastic caps over the banana sockets?
The plug is too wide and my current 2,5mm2 OFC cable is bare wired to my receiver but I'd hate to cut my freshly received cables if I don't have to.
Anyone an idea? :scratch:
Reid Malenfant
01-07-2011, 17:44
Are there some small covers in the centre of the binding posts? There often are on AV kit & more modern amplifiers. It just a case of prying them out & then shoving the banana plug in (if they have banana plugs that is, sorry i don't own any of these cables) :)
Aha, some extra force does it! Thanks, they are now plugged in.
First listening doesn't seem to reveal any change in sound but I'll let it play for some time.
Patience is a virtue. :eyebrows:
worthingpagan
01-07-2011, 19:07
but I'll let it play for some time.
You'll need to give them plenty of run in to hear them at their best :cool:
Are these cables directional?
icehockeyboy
02-07-2011, 10:01
Are these cables directional?
I was only wondering moments ago if anyone here had broached the subject of directionallity, as the Belkins I bought off Mark have direction arrows on them. :)
I have yet to hear ANY difference whatsoever by ensuring the direction arrow was followed, I am not able to explain from a technical point of view, just my ears.
Any other thoughts guys? :scratch:
If there are no arrows juat wire them up in the direction of the writing. It's just a peace of mind thing, really. Of course if the writing goes both ways then you're screwed:)
icehockeyboy
02-07-2011, 10:27
If there are no arrows juat wire them up in the direction of the writing. It's just a peace of mind thing, really. Of course if the writing goes both ways then you're screwed:)
I've done as you suggest ages ago...............still no sonic difference! :)
I turned around 1 cable since the music had to flow against the writing.
As you correctly stated: it's a peace of mind thing.:eyebrows:
icehockeyboy
02-07-2011, 11:35
I turned around 1 cable since the music had to flow against the writing.
As you correctly stated: it's a peace of mind thing.:eyebrows:
More like it's an "In your mind" thing! :lol:
worthingpagan
02-07-2011, 11:42
Craig, the cables are only just out of the packet mate, perhaps they need a run in before any noticeable difference is noticed? I only use those cables for movies. Is there any difference anyway with directional cables? I don't know, as previously stated, maybe it's just a peace of mind thing :scratch: Or maybe snake oil :eyebrows:
The "direction" of a cable doesn't really matter because there is an alternating current (signal derived) which is going back and forth through it anyway. The exception to that is a quasi-balanced cable which has an additional earthing screen which is most effective when connected to the source end. As you cannot peek inside your current cable to see how it is constructed, then take a chance it's either a quasi-balanced cable or wishful thinking at play so follow the arrows if unsure it is the former.
worthingpagan
02-07-2011, 12:12
The "direction" of a cable doesn't really matter because there is an alternating current (signal derived) which is going back and forth through it anyway. The exception to that is a quasi-balanced cable which has an additional earthing screen which is most effective when connected to the source end. As you cannot peek inside your current cable to see how it is constructed, then take a chance it's either a quasi-balanced cable or wishful thinking at play so follow the arrows if unsure it is the former.
Thanks for the clarification Frank :cool:
Had mine a month or so. Awesome bass. They take lots of running in. Detail has got a lot better. However, they are probably a bit less detailed than my previous very old chord company cables which were bass light. Not sure you can achieve both in one cable.
I want to try what Frank suggests and run the belkins to the bass and the chord to the treble. That might give me everything :)
The "direction" of a cable doesn't really matter because there is an alternating current (signal derived) which is going back and forth through it anyway. The exception to that is a quasi-balanced cable which has an additional earthing screen which is most effective when connected to the source end. As you cannot peek inside your current cable to see how it is constructed, then take a chance it's either a quasi-balanced cable or wishful thinking at play so follow the arrows if unsure it is the former.You gotta love this forum. Thanks for this info Frank!
The exception to that is a quasi-balanced cable which has an additional earthing screen which is most effective when connected to the source end
Ah, well.... not necessarily, Frank!
I find it most effective when connected to whichever device has the lowest earth impedance, which may not be the source. Think CD players (for example) which are "double insulated" and have no earth connection! ;)
Ah, well.... not necessarily, Frank!
I find it most effective when connected to whichever device has the lowest earth impedance, which may not be the source. Think CD players (for example) which are "double insulated" and have no earth connection! ;)
Of course Mike :)
I wanted to keep my response simple so I didn't confuse these innocent "Cable Virgins" :lol:
icehockeyboy
02-07-2011, 23:34
Mark, I wasn't referring particularly to the Belkins when I mentioned directionallity, I have been swapping cables for many years longer than I will admit, and I have yet to come across ANY that sound different if I wire them in the direction of the arrows on them. :)
It seems that there are many others out there who hold the same opinion, Frank included if his last post before this means anything. :)
I have yet to come across ANY that sound different if I wire them in the direction of the arrows on them. :)
Me neither.
It seems that there are many others out there who hold the same opinion, Frank included if his last post before this means anything. :)
Unless it is a specifically quasi-balanced designed cable, then connect any which way you like and worry yourselves not one jot about directionality. Mains, inters, speaker, all these cables are handling alternating current flow not DC, so effectively the signal is going BACK and FORTH along the cable on an AC waveform.
I have now rigged up the Belkin cables along side my old chord co flat copper biwire cable. Placed the Belkin to the lower binding posts and a pair ot the chord co plugs to each of the pairs of the bananas on the speakers.
With just the Belkin I had lots more bass but lost some treble detail and sparkle.
With just the Chord Co I was lacking bass, although drums sounded more detailed. You could hear the skin on the drum and where the drum was hit.
With both, you get the best of both worlds. Albeit that the bass is slightly less than with just the Belkins. However the sparkle in the treble is back. I can only attribute the slightly leaner bass to the fact that the banana plugs are not as deeply inserted as the other banana plugs are plugged into the holes in the terminal lower down.
Just put the Chord solely to the top binding posts and the Belkin to the bottom. Lets see if there is any difference.
worthingpagan
04-07-2011, 23:17
how many sets of speakers are you running clap? i had 2 pairs, 1 of floorstanders and 1 of standmounts. i had 2 pairs of belkins, both biwired to the floorstanders, and 2 pairs of silver cables wired to the standmounts.........the sound was awesome, my mrs complained about the thunderous power of the belkins, and as i live in a flat, i thought i ought to get rid of them if i still wanted to be a tenant here by xmas. but i agree with you, the belkins did seem to lack a little sparkle and detail but made up for it with some very heavy bass weight :cool:
only running one set of speakers , totem arros.
icehockeyboy
05-07-2011, 13:46
how many sets of speakers are you running clap? i had 2 pairs, 1 of floorstanders and 1 of standmounts. i had 2 pairs of belkins, both biwired to the floorstanders, and 2 pairs of silver cables wired to the standmounts.........the sound was awesome, my mrs complained about the thunderous power of the belkins, and as i live in a flat, i thought i ought to get rid of them if i still wanted to be a tenant here by xmas. but i agree with you, the belkins did seem to lack a little sparkle and detail but made up for it with some very heavy bass weight :cool:
Mark, if you were running a pair of Belkin White rca's at the same time, I would bet that it was those responsible for that lack of treble sweetness, and not the speaker cables, just my thoughts on having them both in my set up at the moment.............rca's might need some running in.............?:scratch:
Mark, if you were running a pair of Belkin White rca's at the same time, I would bet that it was those responsible for that lack of treble sweetness, and not the speaker cables, just my thoughts on having them both in my set up at the moment.............rca's might need some running in.............?:scratch:
Well there you are Craig, I am currently running the Belkin speaker cables solo and using the Belkin interconnects at the same time. They are gradually changing over time to quite a sweet sound. I only recently put the Belkin RCA cables back in after a long spell with the Silver High Breed Whateverthehecktheyarecalled that I bought from Jerry and to be honest there isn't a huge amount between them at the moment
icehockeyboy
06-07-2011, 09:36
Well there you are Craig, I am currently running the Belkin speaker cables solo and using the Belkin interconnects at the same time. They are gradually changing over time to quite a sweet sound. I only recently put the Belkin RCA cables back in after a long spell with the Silver High Breed Whateverthehecktheyarecalled that I bought from Jerry and to be honest there isn't a huge amount between them at the moment
Frank, are they the silver Belks you are using, or the white series I bought from Mark on here?
Maybe I haven't given them long enough, plumbed them in Saturday morning, and due to not being able to hear certain things like cymbals or hi hats at I must admit low level listening, took them out yesterday in favour of my SHB Quintessence ic's, which seem lots better as far as detail retrieval is concerned.
Your thoughts good sir?:)
Frank, are they the silver Belks you are using, or the white series I bought from Mark on here?
Maybe I haven't given them long enough, plumbed them in Saturday morning, and due to not being able to hear certain things like cymbals or hi hats at I must admit low level listening, took them out yesterday in favour of my SHB Quintessence ic's, which seem lots better as far as detail retrieval is concerned.
Your thoughts good sir?:)
Errrrm, I dunno Craig :scratch: I bought the Belkin Silver Series in a white sheath with white plugs and that's the set I am using. It was the cable that prompted me to start the "Truly Amazed" thread :eyebrows:
icehockeyboy
07-07-2011, 13:40
Errrrm, I dunno Craig :scratch: I bought the Belkin Silver Series in a white sheath with white plugs and that's the set I am using. It was the cable that prompted me to start the "Truly Amazed" thread :eyebrows:
In all honesty, I am thinking mine are not the same as you have, cos, basically I wasn't amazed! :scratch:
Maybe I should give them more time to burn in, but to my battered lugs, I am having to strain to hear detail that is sooooo apparent in my SHB's, even from when I plugged them in at first. :)
Imho burn in is quite important to these and quite long too..........
wee tee cee
08-07-2011, 16:49
I purchased a run of the flat stuff that includes eight wee banana plugs.The cable is actually a copper ribbon.The wee plugs go into the bare wire holes on the speakers and amp pretty well.Sounds pretty good...far more open than van damme stuff I was using to bi-amp.Ordered another couple of lots to have a play about.My sons system was using the van damme stuff but it wisnae much cop.
At £6.74 delivered for 9m and eight plugs you canny argue...will see how it burns in.
I am thinking of cabling my rears with the Belkin wires as well now that my fronts feed my receiver through Belkin AV53001's. Since I need about 15m I think I'll go for the Belkin PureAV AV53102 spool, which are (I guess) the same as the AV53001 except for the pre-installed plugs. Right?
I have some banana plugs here, but can someone tell me how to connect which wire to which part of the plug? My former cable only had one wire which I put in my plug but the picture below shows there are two wires to connect.
Anyone who has a clue?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41OBQ8%2B0rML.jpg
Hi Steven, you're joking, right? ;)
Just stuff all the black cable into a black banana plug, and all the red cable into... well, I'm sure you can guess! :)
Ahhh, I thought this was one grey string from two. :doh:
Thanks for clarifying Alex!
My skills are definitely somewhere else.
No worries Steven, and please excuse my sarcasm, I think maybe I should give up on that! :) Good luck with the cable, if it is like the rest of the range you shouldn't be disappointed. :)
Nothing wrong with (your) sarcasm. This forum thrives on it. :)
Just ordred a pair of these for the floorstanders in the lounge. Compared to the Burson 160D and LCD-2 combo, my lounge set-up (Denon 2310 and Kef iQ5 SEs) sounds pants.
I wonder if (edit: hope that) these will make a difference for the better :¬)
Greg2010
10-07-2011, 16:40
Hi Steven, if your'e going to buy the PureAV AV53102 spool be aware that the construction is a bit more complex than the wire you pictured. If you look at the image below (if I've got the size right) you'll see several inner insulators, the coiled looking wires have a plastic core to them very similar to the belkin i/c.
It's good, but a bit of a pain to work with :)
http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/belkin2.jpg
Regards
Greg
OMG, thanks for your warning! :eek:
Don't worry too much Steven - I'm rubbish with this sort of thing but managed ok to make up a set. Much fun for a silly low amount of money, but in the end it went into a 2nd system as I preferred the overall balance of the Belden 5000 UP in my main system.
worthingpagan
10-07-2011, 18:12
Hi Steven, if your'e going to buy the PureAV AV53102 spool be aware that the construction is a bit more complex than the wire you pictured. If you look at the image below (if I've got the size right) you'll see several inner insulators, the coiled looking wires have a plastic core to them very similar to the belkin i/c.
It's good, but a bit of a pain to work with :)
http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/ab152/greg2010_1/belkin2.jpg
Regards
Greg
Yeah, I had a go, burnt myself to bits trying to remove the silicone or whatever it is that sleeves the strands, ended up binning the cable :(
I just used my teeth! :lol:
Well, if your daughter in your avatar has your looks that's understandable. :)
Hi Steven, if your'e going to buy the PureAV AV53102 spool be aware that the construction is a bit more complex than the wire you pictured. If you look at the image below (if I've got the size right) you'll see several inner insulators, the coiled looking wires have a plastic core to them very similar to the belkin i/c.
It's good, but a bit of a pain to work with :)
Regards
Greg
How do you connect this wire to the plug by the way? Just peel off all the plastic covers and put all the bare wire into the banana plug? Doesn't make sense I guess.
The seperate plastic covered wires and the thicker wire must be there for a reason wouldn't you think?
Greg2010
10-07-2011, 21:39
How do you connect this wire to the plug by the way? Just peel off all the plastic covers and put all the bare wire into the banana plug? Doesn't make sense I guess.
Yes, strip off the outer insulators and fit into your banana plug. If you're not soldering it's straight forward as you don't have to remove the centre plastic cores of the other wires.
The seperate plastic covered wires and the thicker wire must be there for a reason wouldn't you think?
Yes, they are undoubtedly there for a reason. There are many discussions, theories etc about cable construction, here and around the web, you could while away many an hour finding out if you were keen :-) http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm is just one example
Regards
Greg
worthingpagan
15-07-2011, 16:29
In all honesty, I am thinking mine are not the same as you have, cos, basically I wasn't amazed! :scratch:
Maybe I should give them more time to burn in, but to my battered lugs, I am having to strain to hear detail that is sooooo apparent in my SHB's, even from when I plugged them in at first. :)
Any improvement yet Craig? Have the Belks opened up more or is that as good as it gets? :cool:
icehockeyboy
15-07-2011, 23:00
In all honesty, I went back to my SHB Quintessence ic's, and at the same time, well, a short time after to be exact, I made up some jumpers, mentioned elsewhere, and ridiculed, from QED SA! :)
I will probably stick the Belks back in sometime, but the sound I had after a week or so was not to my taste. :rolleyes:
worthingpagan
17-07-2011, 16:28
In all honesty, I went back to my SHB Quintessence ic's, and at the same time, well, a short time after to be exact, I made up some jumpers, mentioned elsewhere, and ridiculed, from QED SA! :)
I will probably stick the Belks back in sometime, but the sound I had after a week or so was not to my taste. :rolleyes:
Maybe we should ask Frank to upload a pic of the i/c's he originally mentioned? I've bought 3 seperate styles of belkin i/c's and they all sound much the same to me :scratch: Don't worry too much about the QED SA, I bought a load of that a few years ago :doh: :lolsign:
icehockeyboy
19-07-2011, 19:10
Hi Mark, I reckon the white one's we had are different to the one's Frank raved about.
Come on Frank, quit hanging ten and shooting the curl in the Cornish surf and giz some pix!
Phew, sorry for the delay chaps but all them beach babes wipes you out ;)
Yer tiz
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/kernowman/Hi-Fi/belkin_inters.jpg
icehockeyboy
19-07-2011, 20:24
Hard to detect if the sheathing is actually silver or white?.....Cos they look sooooo similar to the whites..................:scratch:
worthingpagan
19-07-2011, 23:47
that's them alright, i've also got 2.4m silver series (same colour as speaker cable) and other 1m with silver plugs and black pvc sheath. they all sound pretty much the same with my gear, though the 2.4m silver series are a shade more detailed, musical & open than all the others. Odd that the white's aren't shining as they're the ones that apparently have silver solder. got a pair of chord solid and compared the best of the belks with them and they sound about the same, so for me the silver series have the edge, and they were cheaper than the white. i'm keeping the solid copper chords for use with one of my cdp's with an unscreened kettle lead with wattgate 320i standard and standard brass contact plug, all the rest of the gear is solid silver. there is a difference in sound, the silver is not as warm as the brass/copper combination but is more musical with better treble/midrange detail. deciding now whether to suspend my speakers or myself from the ceiling :lol:
Hey folks, I'm dying to buy a set of these speaker cables, but I live in Canada and the eBay seller Tim linked to in his first post is not replying to my messages regarding having it shipped to Canada (even though the listing says he ships worldwide).
I was wondering if someone on this thread might be so kind as to order me a set and then ship them to me. I will of course pay for the additional shipping costs, and will pay for the cables up front so there's minimal risk.
Nevermind, the seller finally replied. :)
Reid Malenfant
24-08-2011, 19:31
Nevermind, the seller finally replied. :)
I hope it was good news?
Perhaps the :) emote says it all.
I just wish ebay sellers took things more seriously :rolleyes: I purchased a ladder stand off a few days back & the only reason i bought from that particular seller was due to the 24 hour delivery :) Next thing i got a message from the seller saying they had no stock (it said 120 in stock on ebay :steam:) & that they'd be receiving them on or about September 8th & i'd receive mine by the 10th :steam: :steam: :steam:
I asked for a full refund & got it, another exactly the same arrived today, cheaper to ;)
Perhaps now i can fix the leaking windows :)
I hope it was good news?
Good news indeed. The overseas shipping was a little more than I was hoping for, but given how hard to find this item is, and the fact that I'm sick of waiting to find another deal I went ahead and ordered it.
I guess the problem with eBay sellers is there's just so many of them. In general I find sellers to be quite professional and respectable, but there's always the odd one that just drives you crazy.
That said, I don't know the reason the seller took so long to reply, so I don't want to pass judgment too quickly, but it was very frustrating.
wee tee cee
13-10-2011, 12:11
Just got two runs of the speaker cable this morning....must admit they sound lovely.The bass is meatier and slightly more defined,the treble sounds a bit less refined but may settle down with a bit of running in.The sound stage is very good.For the money they are fantastic value.
For reference I was using a run of tellurium black on the treble and blue on the bass.Will give it a couple of days before switching back and mixing and matching.
Another great AOS recommendation at reasonable money.
Regards Tony.
Tony,stick with them, they do require a lot of running in!
Just got two runs of the speaker cable this morning....must admit they sound lovely.The bass is meatier and slightly more defined,the treble sounds a bit less refined but may settle down with a bit of running in.The sound stage is very good.For the money they are fantastic value.
For reference I was using a run of tellurium black on the treble and blue on the bass.Will give it a couple of days before switching back and mixing and matching.
Another great AOS recommendation at reasonable money.
Regards Tony.
Geez, you buy two lots of TQ and then this and say this is "reasonable money". What was the TQ then? :lol::lolsign:
wee tee cee
18-10-2011, 00:56
managed to exchange a naim cdp for my run of black and a mf m1 dac.Unfortunately I need 4m a side.The blue was about £140 terminated.If you can, borrow some from a dealer to try....Its uncoloured tonally and quite honestly is like removing the speaker grilles.The blue is worth the money,the black is better but not three times better.......
My son is burning in the belkin stuff for me,I will have a play around on my next days off.
RochaCullen
18-10-2011, 09:00
My son is burning in the belkin stuff for me,I will have a play around on my next days off.
Great idea, use the kids as a burn in service. :)
wee tee cee
18-10-2011, 12:22
Ive got to get something back for the pocket money.....
A little update on these cables, remarkable bass and soundstaging( if a little bass light), has anyone changed the the plugs on these or any other tweak to enhance performance further, ie cable toasting, cryoing etc, l feel there maybe a bit more to come from these cables:)
These cables are good for the money. Give you a good thump of bass. However, they are not very detailed. I have just changed back to my 1990s chord co 4 strand flat off biwire. Much classier sound with detail and delicacy over the Belkins.
icehockeyboy
13-01-2012, 11:03
These cables are good for the money. Give you a good thump of bass. However, they are not very detailed. I have just changed back to my 1990s chord co 4 strand flat off biwire. Much classier sound with detail and delicacy over the Belkins.
Totally disagree about the detail!
I have had Chord Odyssey, and indeed a prototype of Chord Signature, which I absolutely loved, but there is hardly anything in it between them and the Belkins as far as most aspects of sound are concerned, and that includes detail.
It could of course be down to our old friend synergy however! :)
Totally disagree about the detail!
I have had Chord Odyssey, and indeed a prototype of Chord Signature, which I absolutely loved, but there is hardly anything in it between them and the Belkins as far as most aspects of sound are concerned, and that includes detail.
It could of course be down to our old friend synergy however! :)
Must be.
I've just moved. In my old place the chord was bass light. I bought the belkins and just used them. A massive dollop of bass was added. Then I started realising sounds and textures I had heard previously were missing. Plumbed the chords back in as well as the Belkins. Then I had the best of both worlds. Since I have moved I am in a small room. Gloomy bass is a problem. Was just using the Belkins as I was too lazy to plumb the chords in ( they were much too long and both sets would've been like spaghetti junction) . Took out the Belikns and replaced with the chords. Bass is now less gloomy and noises not heard before returned. Textures are better too.
The Grand Wazoo
14-01-2012, 01:03
Nowt wrong with the Belkins over here. I'm not changing them in a hurry.
icehockeyboy
15-01-2012, 11:41
Nowt wrong with the Belkins over here. I'm not changing them in a hurry.
Ditto. :)
pete_mac
26-03-2012, 22:53
Any further thoughts on these babies? I've just bought a set from the eBay seller in the first post, and will also be purchasing some of the screw-on spades to suit. Really looking forward to seeing (hearing?) how these compare to my existing Grave Science cables which are a Kimber-style braid made of silver plated copper (the usual Mil-spec stuff methinks).
I was very tempted to buy two 30ft rolls of the 16AWG Belkin PCOCC and braid/terminate my own cables too. I may end up doing this one day.
icehockeyboy
27-03-2012, 11:02
You wont go far wrong with them. I think they are really good, and cheap too!
The Black Adder
27-03-2012, 20:50
Mine are shaping up very well indeed. Differences are not OTT but they are there especially in the bass. For £25 it makes total sense.
pete_mac
02-04-2012, 05:13
The cables arrived in Australia last Friday, so very quick postage indeed!
They are pretty darn thick and robust, that's for sure. I have some screw-on Belkin spades on their way too.
I've also got some Proac 1S 'clones' on the way from PopPulse/DIY Kits HK which will need some serious running-in, so I think I'll hook up the speakers and cables to an amp in the garage and leave them for a week or so before any serious listening.
I had forgotten about these. Ordered a pair which arrived yesterday. Stonking VFM. Nicely made and £19.99inc postage. A No brainer. Sound as good as the Sterling Black Mamba.
Wakefield Turntables
04-04-2012, 18:19
I have a pair of the belkin silver interconnects and for the money they are excellent I think you'll enjoy what you've purchased!
pumpkineater23
10-04-2012, 14:49
Mine were delivered today:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180855565385?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2121wt_1002
First impressions.. Chunky and grey. I cant really hear much difference from my old 1991 Monster cables, but have read in this thread they need plenty of use to burn in, so i'll update this post in a few weeks.
Yup, stick with them, they do indeed take some running in:)
pete_mac
11-04-2012, 06:47
Mine were delivered today:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180855565385?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2121wt_1002
First impressions.. Chunky and grey. I cant really hear much difference from my old 1991 Monster cables, but have read in this thread they need plenty of use to burn in, so i'll update this post in a few weeks.
Yeah, I wasn't massively impressed at first listen.
I've since been using them in my 'burn-in' rig which is loosening-up my recently acquired ProAc 1S clones, so they now have 180 hours of solid use on them. By the time the clones are run in, the cables will have about 400-500 hours on them, so they will have no excuses! ;)
Still awaiting the delivery of the Belkin screw-on spades. I found a retailer in Canada who sells them for $1.50 per set of four (cheap run-out pricing!) so I bought two sets. Unfortunately the international postage jacked the price up considerably.
Russell Turner
04-06-2012, 08:44
Ordered some of these speaker cables the other day to compare against my original, original QED 25th Silver Anniversary cable (not the newer inferior variant).
I won't post my findings until have allowed them a while to “bed in”, unless any one wants me to?
All my IC's and speaker cables are Belkin PureAV Silver's, been running them for nigh on a year now and they are pretty special. Thinking of trying out some TQ Blue speaker cables just to see what all the fuss is about some time soon. ;)
Mr Kipling
04-06-2012, 09:12
Go-on, Russ' - be a devil!
Kind Regards,
Stephen
icehockeyboy
05-06-2012, 10:52
All my IC's and speaker cables are Belkin PureAV Silver's, been running them for nigh on a year now and they are pretty special. Thinking of trying out some TQ Blue speaker cables just to see what all the fuss is about some time soon. ;)
You won't be sorry.
Mind you, your wallet might be! :eyebrows:
In all seriousness, most folk that tried and loved what the Belk speaker cable did, are all of a similar mind in as much as the TQ stuff trounces it! :lol:
pete_mac
06-06-2012, 00:23
I really need to hook up my Belkin cables for a listen. I used them whilst running-in a pair of speakers in the garage and managed to accumulate 700 hours worth of use, but I've yet to use the cables in my main system as yet! It's about time that I give them a crack.
ls anyone using these cables with bare ends... there is a lot of metal in those banana plugs.........
The Grand Wazoo
29-07-2012, 12:15
It's tricky to use bare, as the construction is quite complicated - 3 different types & sizes of strand and some of the strands are wound (vaguely like a guitar string). It's almost impossible to twist them together, so I've found the only way to make it work is to tin them with solder.
Cheers Chris, ok has anyone upgraded the banana plugs- is it a worthwhile job? l am no audio designer but there seems too much metal in those plugs............:popcorn:
It's tricky to use bare, as the construction is quite complicated - 3 different types & sizes of strand and some of the strands are wound (vaguely like a guitar string). It's almost impossible to twist them together, so I've found the only way to make it work is to tin them with solder.
Have you re-terminated them Chris?
The Grand Wazoo
02-08-2012, 19:59
No, I've got three sets - two have bananas at one end & spades at the other using the screw ends but with different tips (those plugs they come with are not good in the terminals of my Levinson power amps) the other set I have tinned the ends as described above.
No, I've got three sets - two have bananas at one end & spades at the other using the screw ends but with different tips (those plugs they come with are not good in the terminals of my Levinson power amps) the other set I have tinned the ends as described above.
Any lift in sound quality tinned?:)
The Grand Wazoo
02-08-2012, 20:59
Haven't got a clue!
I bought them & prepared the ends to suit the amp they were going into - I'm done farting around with cables.
..for anybody interested, they are still available, see
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200668042714?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
I have no connection with vendor.
They are here too http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-14Awg-Pre-Term-Cable-Banana/dp/B0009PTHOG
Cheaper postage for Denmark, so i bought them there.
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